Water fountain



Aug. 12, 1947. A G', ROYERl r2,425,643

WATER FOUNTAIN INVENTOR. HRZ-Hue G. ,Po ys@ ,4free/vers Aug. 29 E94?. A. G. ROYER -WATER FOUNTAIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. l, 1942 lllllH l' I.. Hill f Patented Aug. 12, 1947 WATER FOUNTAIN Arthur G. Royer, East Cleveland, Ohio,

to Harris-Seybold Company, corporation of Delaware assigner Cleveland, Ohio, a

Application October 1, 1942, Serial No. 460,410

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in water fountains for printing presses, and has to do especially with the driving mechanism for rotating the fountain rollers and for shifting the ductor roller thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of simplified driving mechanism.

Another object is the provision of driving mechanism of such character as to practically eliminate vibration in the pan roller of the water fountain and the consequent agitation of water therein and slopping of water out of the pan, as well as the reduction or elimination of vibration of the camshaft and consequently of the ductor roller.

Another object is the provision of driving mechanism of such character as to facilitate changes in the speeds of the pan roller and the ductor operating cam shaft with respect to the plate roller of the press, as well as changes in the speeds of the pan roller and the ductor cam shaft with respect to each other.

A further object is the provisiion of means for disconnecting the cam shaft to interrupt the movements of the ductor roller while ,permitting operation of the mechanism otherwise.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as we proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, we have illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end elevational view, partly in vertical section, as indicated by the line I-I of Fig. 2, of a water fountain em'bodying the invention shown in operative relation with the plate cylinder of a printing press;

Fig. 2 is a fragmental transverse elevational view, partly in vertical section, upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, parts being broken away to better illustrate the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmental plan view of the same.

In the drawings, the plate cylinder of a printing press is indicated at I0. The sides of the press frame are shown at II. The cylinder I is mounted in these two frame side members and is driven by any suitable means at the usual rapid rate of rotation. A pair of water fountain side supports I2 are attached to the frame members II by bolts I3 or the like, and in these side supports the rollers of the fountain are journalled. The side supports may be connected and braced by one or more transverse rods, one such rod being illustrated at I4.

I5 is a rock shaft which oscillates through a small angle for a purpose which will presently appear. Shaft I5 and rod I 4 support two brackets I6 upon which is carried the Water pan I1. A pan roller I8 extends downwardly into pan I1, its shaft portions I9 being mounted in bushings 20 which are carried in bearings 2| that are open from above and provided with set-screws 22 which extend into annular grooves 23 in the bushings and thus hold the latter against movement axially.

The pan roller I8 is adapted to be contacted by a ductor roller 24 which is mounted in bearings in the upper extremities of a pair of lever arms 25 that are rotatably mounted upon rock shaft I5, the latter being oscillatably carried in bearings in the fountain supports I2. The lower extremities of these lever arms are biased anticlockwise by tension springs 26, which are attached to the ends of a pin 21 driven into a hole in the arm 25, the opposite ends of the springs being suitably connected with a pin or the like 28 xed in the adjacent support I2.

Each of the lever arms 25 carries a pad 29 which is adapted to be engaged by the end of a setscrew 30 which is threadably mounted in a short crank arm 3| carried by a hub 32 surrounding shaft I5 and locked theretoA by a setscrew 33. For convenience in manipulation, the setscrew 30 is preferably formed with a knurled head 34 which extends upwardly to a position where it may be conveniently reached by the operator. The screw may be locked in adjusted position by a thumb nut 35.

Shaft I5 is arranged to be oscillated by a crank arm 36 fixed to the shaft and carrying at its outer extremity a roller 31 which is arranged to run upon a cam 38 that is slidably keyed to a cam shaft 39. The rotation of the cam swings the crank arm 3| clockwise, causing the setscrew 30 to bear against pad 29 and swing lever arm 25 clockwise to thereby bring ductor roller 24 into contact with pan roller I 8. When the follower 31 runs off the high spot of the cam, relieving the pressure of screw 30 on pad 29, springs 26 pull the lower ends of levers 25 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1 and swing ductor roller 24 into contact with an intermediate roller 4I).

Cam 38 is a barrel cam with a high spo-t which is long at one end of the cam and`which decreases in length toward the other end. The cam, being slidably keyed to shaft 39, may be moved relatively to the follower 31 in order to vary the motion of shaft I5 and control the length of time that the ductor roller remains in contact with the pan roller and the intermediate roller vrespectively. At one end of the provided an annular groove 4I which receives, a,v

cam 38 there isf sides.

upon rod I4 and may be fastened to the latter at any desired point by means of a setscrew 43, thereby maintaining the cam in the desired position.

Intermediate roller 40 is carried by shaft 44 which projects through both supporting frame members l2. On one end this shaft carries a gear 45 -that meshes with a wideidlergear 46 which in turn meshes with a gearv 41'that turns with the plate cylinder l0. The roller 4l) is a vibrating roller, that is, it has endwise reciprocation as well as rotation, the endwise movement being effected by a lever 48 the free end of whichv projects into the space between a pairof collars 49 attached to the end of shaftf`44. Themeans for swinging lever 48 back and forth is not herein'y illustrated since such means are well known in the yoke 42 that is slidable y K grooves art, and per se form no part'of the present-in- 'Y vention.

Two damping rollers 50 normally contact the intermediate roller 40 Yandthe, plate cylinder l0. They-are-each carried ina pair of hangers indicated at 5l thatare journalled upon Vthe shaft 44 but-are held by suitable means against reciprocation with that shaft. `.Resilient means of suitable character are employed for drawing these hangers toward each other and holding the dampening rollers in contact with theplate cylinder. This contact maybe broken, however, whendesired by meansof cam blocks 52 carried by van oscillatable shaft 53. These blocks each have a pair offiat surfaces'for engagement with adjusting` screws 54 threadably` mounted in the hangers 5l. Manual movement ofthe shaft 53 through a given angle causes the screws 5,4'toride onto the higher surfaces of the cam blocks, swings the hangers away from each other and separates the dampening` rollers 50 Vfrom the plate cylinder.

Upon one of the fountain frame members I2 we mount, by means of bolts 55 orthe like, a bracket having integral therewith two spaced bearings `56 and 51 that are open o-n their upper These bearings receive bushings within whichis. rotatably mounted a transmission shaft 58, arranged horizontally in the preferred form of theinvention as herein illustrated. The openings inthetop of the bearings vare-wide enough to-permit the transmission shaft to be moved upwardly through them providedthe bushings are first moved axially outwardbeyond the bearings.

A gear housing 6D enclosing the transmission shaft and related parts, now to be described is secured -to one ofY the frame members l2 in any suitable manner. Preferably this housing includes a cover 60 hinged to the housing proper at-6l, this cover being cut away to clear the hub of a worm wheel 62 fastened to a shaft portion lI 9 of the pan roller. The outer-wall of the housing 60 is out away to accommodate awide gear 63 fixed upon shaft 44. This gear meshes with a gear 64 which is carried upon-a. sleeve 65 that rotates upon a pin 66, one end of vwhich issupported in the frame member I2 yandthe other end of which is carried by the housing and held in position thereupon by means of a. screw 61. Sleeve 65 also carriesa worm -which meshes with a worm .wheel69 that is keyed4V to shaft 58, by means of which that shaft ,isdriven Between the two `bearings 56y and-51 shaft 58 has-keyed thereto aworm 10 which meshes with worm wheel 62 for rotating the pan roller I8.

On the opposite-end of shaft 58 beyond bearings 51 another worm 1| iskeyed to shaft 58. This latterworm meshes with and drives a worm wheel 1-2 which issecured toa sleeve 13 that is rotatably carried upon shaft 39 and has'a dog clutch element 14 integral therewith. A cooperating clutch element 15 on the innerV end of a second sleeve 16 is adapted to engage with element 14, the sleeve 16 being slidable upon the shaft 39 but being keyed thereto against relative movement. Sleeve 16 projects through an opening in the outer wall of housing 60, with. Clearance all around,and on its outer end it carries an operating wheel 11. Means, such as annular 18 and a spring-pressed detent ball 19, holding the sleeve against its operative may be provided for accidental movement While in either or. inoperative position. When the partsare in thepositionillustrated in Fig. 2, the sleeve 13 and its vclutch element*` 14 are free to turn upon the shaft 39. When the clutch is engaged, however, as'illustrated in shaft and the latter rotates, turning cam 38 for swinging the ductor roller 24 back and forth into alternate engagement .with pan roller I8 andintermediate roller 40.

When all of thev parts are in operative relation, driving force is communicated. from the printing press through gears 41, Sand 45.to shaft 44, thence across the machine to gear l63,'.and then through gears64, 68 and 69.to transmission shaft 58through which driving forceis communicated ata relativelylow rate of speed to pan roller"l8 and cam shaft 39. The moistening of the plate is accomplished in the usual manner by the mechanism heretofore described, as will'beobvious to those skilled inthe art. The pan roller may be readily removed by swingingthe housing cover 66 back out of the way, loosening the setscrews 22 and lifting out the roller. Either "the worm-wheel69 or the worm 'H may be removed from shaft' 58, and if both of these gears are re` moved, the bushings may be slid outwardly away from the bearings 56 and'51, after which the shaft with the worm 10 thereon may be .lifted out through the openings in the tops o-fY the bearings. It will be obvious that any one of the worm and worm wheel sets may be removed andothers substituted to` accomplish speed changes without affecting the other sets. By alteration of the number of teeth or. their pitch or both, practically any combination of speeds withinthe desired range may be obtained. Thus the particular arrangement shown to be -best by experience can be readily achieved. s

Whenever it becomes desirable to interrupt the transfer of water from the fountain roller I8 to the ductor roller V24, this .can be accomplished readily with our mechanism by separating the clutch elements 14 and 15, thatis -byexertinga pull c-n the hand wheel 11. .In that case if-the bodily movement of the ductor roller happens to stop when the two rollers are in contact, the cam shaft 39 may be turned by means ofhand` wheel 11 keyed to shaft-39, to swing the yductor roller out ofl Contact with the pan roller. Y

Having thusdescribed our invention, we claim: 1.V In a water fountain for o, printing .press having a rotating form cylinder, an intermediate roller adapted to turn with surface speedv substantially equal to the surface. speed of the form cylinder, a pan roller, a ductor roller, a camshaft for moving the ductor roller. into engagement with the intermediate roller and pan roller alternately, a transmission shaft with its axis disposed at right. angles to the axisof saidrollers, and separate worm and worm wheel connections for driving the transmission shaft Vfrom the intermediate roller-and for driving the panrollerand the cam Fig. 3, sleeve 13 is locked to the shaft independently from said transmission shaft.

2. In a water fountain for a printing press having a rotating form cylinder, a rotating intermediate roller adapted to turn with surface Speed substantially equal to the surface speed of the form cylinder, a pan roller, a ductor roller, a camshaft for moving the ductor roller into engagement with the intermediate roller and pan roller alternately, a transmission shaft, a worm and worm wheel connection between the intermediate roller and the transmission shaft adapted to drive the latter at reduced speed, and separate worm and worm wheel connections between the transmission shaft and said pan roller and said cam shaft adapted to drive said pan roller and said camshaft independently at reduced speeds as compared with transmission shaft.

3. In a water fountain, a pan roller and a ductor roller, a transmission shaft at one end of the fountain disposed transversely to said rollers, means for driving said shaft, a camshaft for moving said ductor roller into and out of engagement with said pan roller, a two-gear driving connection between said transmission shaft and said pan roller, and a separate two-gear driving connection from said transmission shaft to said camshaft.

4. In a water fountain, a pan roller and a ductor roller, a transmission shaft at one end of the fountain disposed transversely to said rollers, means for driving said shaft, a camshaft for moving said ductor roller into and out of engagement with said pan roller, two worms on said transmission shaft, a worm wheel on said pan roller meshing with one of said worms, and a worm wheel on said camshaft meshing with the other of said worms.

5. In a water fountain, a pan roller and a ductor roller, a transmission shaft at one end of the fountain disposed tranversely to said rollers, a pair of spaced bearings for said transmission shaft, means outwardly of the first bearing for driving said shaft, a camshaft for moving the ductor roller into and out of engagement with said pan roller, said transmission shaft having one worm between said bearings and another outwardly of the second bearing, a worm wheel on said pan roller meshing with one of said worms to one side of said transmission shaft, and a worm wheel on the camshaft meshing with the other of said worms on the side of the transmission shaft remote from said rst named worm wheel.

6, In a water fountain, a pan roller and a ductor roller, a horizontal transmission shaft at one end of the fountain disposed transversely of said rollers, a pair of spaced bearings for said transmission shaft open on their upper sides, means outwardly of the first bearing for driving said shaft, a camshaft for moving the ductor roller into and out of engagement with said pan roller, said transmission shaft having one worm between said bearings and another outwardly of the second bearing, a worm wheel on one end of said pan roller meshing with one of said worms above the shaft, and a worm wheel on said camshaft meshing with the other of said worms below said transmission shaft, whereby said transmission shaft may be removed upwardly following the removal of the first named worm wheel.

7. In a water fountain, a pan roller and a ductor roller, a transmission shaft at one end of the fountain disposed transversely to said rollers, a

camshaft for moving the ductor roller into and out of engagement with said pan roller, a pair of spaced `bearings for said transmission shaft, said transmission shaft having a worm wheel at one end outwardly of the adjacent bearing, a worm between the bearings and another worm outwardly of the other bearing, a worm wheel on the pan roller meshing with the intermediate worm, a worm wheel on said camshaft meshing with the end worm on the side of the transmission shaft opposite said pan roller worm wheel, and means for driving said transmission shaft comprising a worm meshing with the worm wheel on the transmission shaft on the side of that shaft opposite said pan roller worm wheel.

8. In a water fountain, a pan roller and a ductor roller, a transmission shaft at one end of the fountain dis-posed transversely to said rollers, a worm wheel on said transmission shaft, a worm meshing with and driving said worm wheel, a camshaft for moving said ductor roller into and out of engagement with said pan roller, a twogear driving connection between said transmission shaft and said pan roller, and a, separate twogear driving connection from said transmission shaft to said camshaft.

ARTHUR G. ROYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,558,686 Lipton et al Oct. 27, 1925 773,516 North Oct. 25, 1904 1,585,672 Harrold May 25, 1926 916,432 Ford Mar. 30, 1909 1,584,104 Lentaty May 11, 1926 1,618,470 Patterson Feb. 22, 1927 1,646,646 Gaylord Oct. 25, 1927 

